By By Tan Walker | UAB Community Health and Human Services Intern
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many individuals to take on the responsibility of becoming “essential” in the workplace. Since the pandemic, working conditions in the United States have progressively gotten worse, resulting in workers beginning to set strict boundaries with their employers.
According to CBS News, “Quiet Quitting” has been a trending topic over the past few months. This catchy phrase is code for “just doing your job” and was created by Gen Z and millennial employees (CBS Interactive, 2022). But is it really quitting if they are still technically working? This has been a controversial topic between older and younger employees.
Many conservatives believe that going above and beyond in the workplace is an unwritten expectation for all employees. Conservatives also think that “quiet quitting” is an act of laziness, selfishness, and lack of professionalism.
However, Gen Z and millennial employees beg to differ. This generation believes that doing the bare minimum at work is sometimes necessary to protect their peace and mental health. They also question if giving 120% to a job is worth it when the majority of employers don’t really care about their well-being anyway. Most modern-day employees are exhausted from dedicating majority of their time to an unfulfilling 9-5 and believe there is more to life than working.
So, what happens next? At this rate, economist predict that the U.S, will experience higher levels of job insecurity, recessions, and higher inflation and interest rates (CBS Interactive, 2022). Will Gen Z employees become more efficient in the workplace, or will they continue advocating for themselves and play America’s game?
CBS Interactive. (n.d.). “quiet quitting”: A revolution in how we work or the end of working hard? CBS News. Retrieved September 15, 2022, from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-quiet-quitting/
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